1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to instrumentation used in the areas of inhalation therapy, respiratory therapy or respiratory diagnostic procedures in the field of medicine. More particularly, the invention concerns a patient mouthpiece device incorporating a protective covering, or enclosure, for encapsulating the patient mouthpiece section both before and after use to prevent spread of contamination.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Inhalation therapy and respiratory diagnostic procedures as they relate to patient care have been well documented and have been accepted standard practices in hospitals, extended care facilities, and even private homes for many years. Daily, numerous patient procedures are routinely practiced in such facilities which require that the patient breathe from, through or into some special respiratory system or equipment. In most instances, the interface between patient and instrumentation involves a patient mouthpiece and a length of flexible corrugated tubing. Characteristically, as the patient breathes back and forth through the mouthpiece and tubing, varying amounts of saliva become entrapped in the mouthpiece and corrugated tubing. Upon removal of the mouthpiece from the patient, the saliva immediately becomes a source of cross-contamination for anything or anyone that might come in contact with it. Often substantial amounts of saliva are present in the mouthpiece and its associated tubing and will leak out unless the technologist takes extra precaution and wraps the mouthpiece in some type of absorbent material.
This situation creates not only an unsanitary condition for the technologist, but also creates extremely hazardous possibilities of contamination spread. Where the procedure involves radioactive materials, the hazardous spread of radiation contamination is also quite possible.
Another source of cross-contamination in respiratory areas results from the procedure for attaching the new mouthpiece to the associated instrumentation. Typically, the mouthpiece is removed from its container by the technologist and one end thereof is inserted into either a length of breathing tubing or into a bacterial filter. Commercially produced prior art patient mouthpieces are generally no more than two and one-half inches in length, and approximately one-third of this length must be pushed into the cooperating tubing or filter. In so doing, it is almost impossible for the technologist to properly attach the mouthpiece without handling and severely risking contaminating the mouthinsertion end of the device.
As will be appreciated from the discussion which follows, the present invention for the first time addresses and uniquely solves the problems set forth in the preceding paragraphs.